NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (Nov. 29, 2012) – AHEAD, the innovative headwear and apparel company owned by Sweden’s New Wave Group AB, announced this week it has forged a partnership with LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam.
The partnership calls for Annika to exclusively wear AHEAD headwear during public, golf-related appearances. An impressive list of active professional golfers currently wear AHEAD gear on the course, including Luke Donald, Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Sean O’Hair and Brittany Lincicome.
Under terms of the partnership with Annika, AHEAD also will become the exclusive headwear and accessories partner of the ANNIKA Academy, a state-of-the-art, boutique golf school where the LPGA Hall of Famer shares her passion for golf and fitness. In addition, AHEAD and the ANNIKA Foundation, her non-profit organization that teaches youths the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, will coordinate their efforts on behalf of the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). AHEAD has been a longtime sponsor of the AJGA as the official headwear provider, while the ANNIKA Foundation stages award-winning junior tournaments throughout the world.
AHEAD is a leading supplier of headwear to the USGA, PGA of America, Ryder Cup and numerous PGA Tour events in addition to more than 5,000 green grass and resort shops throughout the world. Included in New Wave Group AB‘s corporate portfolio is Cutter & Buck, the Seattle-based sportswear and outerwear apparel company that features the ANNIKA Collection, named and designed for Sorenstam.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Annika over the years and to now partner with her on behalf of AHEAD is exciting,” said Anne Broholm, who was named chief executive officer of AHEAD earlier this year after serving as global sales manager for Cutter & Buck. “Annika’s accomplishments since capping off a remarkable professional golf career have been as impressive as the legacy she leaves behind in the game of golf. We are thrilled that she will be representing AHEAD by exclusively wearing our headwear products.”
During her tenure on the LPGA, Sorenstam amassed 72 wins, the third most all-time by a member of the Tour. Of those 72 victories, 10 were LPGA major championships. An eight-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year, she made eight appearances in the Solheim Cup on the European squad.
Since stepping away from competitive golf in 2008, Annika has turned her attention to raising her two young children and building her ANNIKA-branded businesses, including the ANNIKA Foundation, ANNIKA Academy and ANNIKA Course Design.
“I am very happy to partner with AHEAD,” says Annika. “They are a first-class brand and I look forward to working with them on various initiatives with my Academy and Foundation.”
AHEAD is best known for its premier headwear collections that feature original approaches to logo embroidery options. Founded in 1995, AHEAD has been able to capitalize on the golf industry’s desire for high-quality graphics on headwear and an array of garments.
For additional information about AHEAD, visit www.aheadweb.com.
About AHEAD
Founded in 1995, AHEAD is a multi-dimensional brand with a proven track record of success distributing headwear, apparel, and accessories to the green grass, resort and corporate markets. Its single focus of providing quality products, with innovative, high-quality design, and merchandising concepts has led to 17 years of continued growth and expansion.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
The ANNIKA Foundation teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. It also offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. Callaway is a prominent supporter of the Foundation’s three, annual golf events for aspiring junior girls: The ANNIKA Invitational at Reunion Resort in Orlando, the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China for top Asian juniors; and the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for the leading juniors in Sweden.
About the ANNIKA Academy
Orlando’s ANNIKA Academy is one of only 15 Callaway Performance Centers in the country. Opened in 2007, it’s a state-of-the-art, boutique golf school where Annika shares her passion for golf and fitness, as well as the winning approach she perfected over her storied career. Long-time personal coaches Henri Reis (lead swing instructor) and Kai Fusser (personal trainer) head a team devoted to imparting proven, simple techniques to help players of any age, gender and skill level reach their potential.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
908/876-5100
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
